Thread remover for weft replenishing looms



` A. CEDERLUND THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS May 15, 1945.

Filed May e, 1944 3 sheets-shea 1 Nbw D Y N RWM OR R TE o Nw T ECP.T vT/A N /m L SION O QAM May l5, 1945- A. CEDERLUND y THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS s smeris-sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1944 //\/\/E/\/TOR ALBERT CEDE/QL UND ATTORNEY May l5, 1945. A. cEDERLUND 2,376,229

THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed May e, 1944 s sheets-sheet :s

Patented May 15, 1945 THREAD. REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISH- n ING LOOMS 1 lbertHCed-erlund, Worcester, Mass., assigner to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, n Mass., a. corporationof Massachusetts .'.Applicati'on May 6, 1944, Serial No. 534,438

17 claims. (C1. 139-247) This invention relates to thread removers for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object'of the invention to provideV means' by? which the thread extending from the thread holder to the'selvage subsequent to a' replenishing'operation maywberemovedfrom the-loom. f'

In'the usual weft replenishing loom the reserve bobbins are heldin a., magazine rand are transpicks between transfer and cutting and a second thread is left as the result of a transfer occurring ferred one by onefinto a shuttle on the lay underv thev magazine. Weft ends extending `from' the bobbins areheld to a thread ho1der"which'pro' jects outwardly from the 'magazine and serves A as anY anchoragefor the threadsiof freshly transferred bobbins. This thread is eventually cut at the selvage and unless removed from the loom is likely to' be drawn into the warp 'shed by the shuttle, ormay fall onfthe weft detectoror some' other. part of the loom and interfere with its proper operation. It is an important ,object of y my present invention to provide a pair 'of gears which can be caused to rotate while in engagement with this thread and remove it v'from the loom.

The thread atv the selvage until several, picks after transfer and lif the control for the thread removing gears is initiated at the time of transfer some means mustbe provided for continuing the operation of the gears until after the threadis cut. It is another object of my present invention to provide means byv which the normally stationary thread removing gears can start turning at the time of transfer and continue turning sufficiently long to remove the thread after it has been cuty several picks subsequent to transfer.

It is a further object of my present inventionr to provide means for utilizing some o f the energy of the tranferrer arm to set a rotating member or flywheel in motion and utilize its rotation to control athread remover. The rotating mass will continue to turn several .picks after transfer and so long as its rate of turning is sufficiently high to. keep centrifugal governors or the like in the mechanism be so constructed that it can ref,

main in operation long enough to'cut this second thread. If, for instance, there isa lapse of eight `temple'cutter does not ordinarily cut the.

four picks after the first transfer, this second thread will not be cut until twelve picks after the first transfer. In order to insure cutting of this second thread it is a further object of my invention to provide means by which each transfer starts a fresh cycle of operations which continues long enough to remove the corresponding thread. In the form of the invention set forth hereinafter the rotating mass is given an impulse at each transfer wheneverv it occurs and regardless of previous transfers. By this arrangement it is vpossible to start a second period of operation during the first period with assurance that the second period will last long enough to eiectremoval of the thread corresponding to it. This feature of my invention is not necessarily limited in its use to thread engaging gears.'

`It is a more particular object of my invention to utilize a, pawl and ratchet mechanism to rotate the flywheel and hold the pawl away :from the ratchet teeth after the driving impulse has been given to the Wheel.

y With these and other objects in view which will` appear as the description proceeds, my inventionresides ink the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

1 In the 4accompanying drawings, wherein a corivenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig.A l'is a front elevation of the replenishing end of a loomhavingymy invention applied there- Fic. 'Lf

15,0v ,i f

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking in thedirectionk of arrow. 2,k Fig. 1,

' Fig. 3 isian enlarged side elevation of the magazine lookingpin the direction'of arrow 3, Fig. 1, lparts beingin section and the mechanism being show/"nY inA normal position,

4r is "a front elevation looking .inthe direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 isl an enlarged vertical section online 5.-*5j0vf; Fig. .3,

Fi`g "7 is enlarged vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 4, showinglthe rotating member and the centrifugal switches in normal open position, A Fig.v -8 is Ya, vertical section on line 8-'8 `of gFig`.--9 a view similar toa portion of Fig. 7 but showing the switches closed due to rotation of therywheel vor rotating member in the direction lofarrow a,

10A is an enlarged s'de'elevation of the bell crank lever-and connected parts shown in Fig. 3,'

and showing the manner in which the pawl moves from normal to operating position relatively to the ratchet teeth, the ratchet Wheel being in section,

Fig. 1l is an enlarged side elevation of the support for the rotating mechanism shown in Fig. 3J

Fig. 12I is a detail plan'looking in the. direction of arrow l2, Fig. 11, and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the thread holder looking in the ydirection of" the electric circuit which cont'rols'theelectrieg motor which drives the thread gears.

Referring particularly to lFigs.- 11' an'd'ZfIhavef shown a loom frame 20 which-supports `a:lay "2[| reciprocated backwardly and forwardlyby theY customary connectors 22. The lay has 2; Shuttle box 23 which receives the shuttles ofthe loom one at a time, one of the shuttles being' shown at S. Mounted in xed position on the looml frame.. over .theshuttle lbox is a magaZineM which in` they present instance is" provided withy four; guideways. I, l1, III and 11V for reserve bobbins.

Thebobbins in the'guidew'ays have wef'tends;` VW

extending therefrom to a threadfho-lder H mount; ed on 'an arm `2.4`seci1red at 25. to some parteiV the magazine, such. as a tie rody 26Y connecting,

the inner and. outer end frames 2.1 and 28, re-` spectively, of the magazine..

The loom has a breast beam 3f'over which the' fabric F extends and atem'ple cutter 32|. is mount-1 ed on thebreast beam. close to the selvage ofthe fabric. `When af Wert repl'enishing operationeecursa reserve bobbin B moves4 .*lownwarclly.toA transfer position' and is then inserted intothe shuttle s by a transrerrerarm 32 pivoted atari'. toY

38 cooperating with bobbin. releasersv not shown.

When a bobbin is transferred7 its weftend` moves away from the group. of weft ends W and. occupies alow position designatedv at T in` ,1.A The shuttle is then picked'to the opposite. end` of the loom and' the thread T extends from the holder H to the fabric'selvage.l At somen'subsequent pick of the. loom the temple. cutter 3 l. severs this thread at 4the selvage and thethread may then fall either on the` shuttle` box. in the path. of the shuttle, or'o'n some -operatingpart of the loom such .as the weft detector indicated generallyat. D' in Fig. 3 and located under. the magazine. It isV desirable that this thread. be removed. from the loom after it is cut at the selvage and it is the general purpose of mynvention to provide 'mechanism by which this. removal may be eiected. V Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 andv 13', the thread holder comprises fronty and back `thread engaging gear.r members 40 and 4l, respectively, which are rotatableon a support 42 forming part of the thread holder and secured to arm 24a These thread gears mesh with each otherand during rotation exert a tensioning eect on the, weft ends W which pass between them. In the present instance these` gearsare. constructed to rotate. by means of a. motor 45,3 see Fig. 13. mounted on the support 42 and connected toa shaft. of. one of the gear members.. This motor ls. normally lille bllt when.' @entendi e Sturge Latch 35 `is,

of electric energy as will be described hereinafter it turns the gears at a rate much faster than is usual for thread holders of .this kind.

The mechanism for controlling the motor is mounted on a stand 50 the upper left corner of which, see Fig. 3, is secured to end frame 21 at the upper right corner of which is'bolted to framev 2l at 52,:and thexbottom. ofl which is attached to frame 2'1 by screw 53. Projecting laterally from stand 50 are horizontally spaced vertical walls 54 which are connected by a beararrew I3,'Fig. 1, and indicating diagrammatieally ing bridge..55 secured to them. The frame 50 and bridge'55 have aligning bearings 5B and 51,

respectively, and frame 50 has projecting laterally therefrom a' horizontal stud 58 on which is V, pivoted a leverA 59'fsl'1oWn particularly in Fig. 1G.

A 'Shaffer-immuable in the bearings 5s and .5l anden-as secured thereto a. flywheel 6l the end of Whichadjacent to stand 50 has ratchet teeth B2- cut therein to form in effect a ratchet wheel integral. witn the. lflywheel. YA. pawl 63 is pivoted ati-64g, te "the Vshort arm 65` of lever 59, while the longhorizcntal arm. 66 of lever 59 is forked and connected at. 61 tov a rod-head 68. The bottom of the latterlseefFig. 1.0,vv has a long shank 69y into which'extends'thelupper end of' a rod 'l0 slidable in the shank.: Theupper end of this rod has nuts 'll` threaded .thereonand a compression spring Al?. is'locatedbetweenftlie utsand shank 69, and a collar. 131 set on rod T0 normally engages the bottom vof the shanknectedat' T4" to transferrer arm 32, andthe latter,

being, normally raised,l acts through collar 13 tol holdv Iever`5l` in the normal. position thereof. shown in. Fig'. 3. As'shown in Fig. 6 the casting 38 has the intermediate part thereof adjacent to end frame 2,1. removed to make. room for rod lll. Front and' rear shelves 15 and 16, respectively, cooperate with the usual bobbin'releasers not shown and are connected by a bar 'l1 integral with them 'and paralleli to shaft 3T.

The flywheel' 6l has mounted thereon two centrifugalleversll and 8l each pivoted to the ilywheel` at. 82,'see' Fig?? on Aopposite sides of shaft. 6D'. Each lev'ex`- isjprovi'ded with. a;l weight 83 whichvtends during rotation of the flywheel to movev outwardly away from shaft 6D; Each of the1 levers-80l and 81 'is provided with a hubl 85 in which-issecuredj a flat electric current conduct-v ing spring 86 extend-ing away' from Athe hub for engagement with a xed pin "8T carriedy by the flywheel'. 'Each of` the springs` may normally be straight as shown in Fig. '7 when the flywheel is atrest.' l

Shaft has driven thereon an insulated bushi-ngfSIIOnl whichislmounted a collector ring 91 insulated from the shafty 6U' by Ythe bushing and spaced from they iiywheel-by a flange 92j integral with the bushing.;v A brush 93, having one endsecuredl to1 a' support 9'4l made of insulating maw terial and'. attachedxte` the rear' walll 54, see Fig; 7, hasf. its..othervend in continuous: contact with the ring Sil. A washer. 95'made of insulating material spaces-ring. Slt from outer bearing .51,

'The circuit for the motor islshown-v diagram-- maticallyf in Fig.. 1.3` aridil includes a. source 9S. of electric :power'oneside of which` is grounded by wirei El and; the.4 othervside. of: which is. connected by wire 98.` to'onesidefof the motor 4.5. The other side of the rnotorfis'v connected byl wire 9.9.y to the brush.9. 3 andringll. When the springs 8S contact the collector ringl lthe latter` is grounded',4 indicated in.;1 lig.;13' bywire. Hill, and the circuit is closedvtocauseturmng `otthe motor. Ordinar..

ily, however, this circuit isopen and motor 45. and

the gears 4||fand 4| are stationary. 'Under normal conditions tha-'mechanism mounted-on the bracket'50 is at rest, transferrer.

arm 32 and rod 10 areup, and arm 65-of'1ever59 is in itsleft position. Arm .I on the pawl is held against a stop pin |02 on stand` 50' to 'keep the pawl away from the ratchet teeth, and spring |03 between finger I 04011 the pawl and finger. |05 on lever 59 is under tension.f Thespring contacts I 86 are out of engagement with the ring 9| under these conditions due to their resilience. and the fact that they engage pins 81. When a replenish-.

ing operationof the mechanism occurs latch 35 will be pushed forwardly by the lay: bunter 36 to lower the .transferrer arm 32, andthisfis accompanied by downward movementof the. rod `lll.

Spring 12 isstrong enough tocaus'e immediate f rocking of lever59v and cause pawli 63.to move from the full line-position tothe dotted line position, see Fig. 10. Because of ther inertia of the flywheel spring 'I2 will vthen be compressed,l and while itscoils are closing the flywheel will start As soon vas the ilywheelstarts rotating the weights. 83 move outwardlyzaway from the shaftY 60 and bend the springs until the latter contact the ring 9| as showny in Fig-9. At this time the previously described circuitshown in Fig. 13 is completedand the motor operatesito turn the gears 40 and 4|. u i

The transfer operation is completed `when the lay reaches front center and as the lay recedes thearm 32 rises and collar13 on r-rod 1l) rocks lever 59 back to the normal position thereof shown in Fig. 3 with the pawl held out of engagement with the ratchet teeth by stop pin |02. Because of the yenergystored in the flywheel the latter continues toturn fora few seconds during which time the contact springs 86 are held in contact with the ring 9|. Themotoris therefore continued in operation fora brief'interval after transfer has been completed, andg'ears 40 Aand 4| are rotated at a relativelyhigh rate of speed by the motor.

'when the thread 'r is'eventuauy out at the se1j vage the flywheel will still be turning to keepfthe motorv circuit closed and this circuit will remain closedv by the continued turning "of the flywheel llong enough to enable the gears 40 and 4| to draw the thread T away from the selvage and eventually remove it from the loom. y During this time the weftthreads W are o'f course subject to the tension of gears r4i! and 4| and any slackness occurringf in .the'weft ends as the result of descent vof the bobbins incident to transfer will be'taken up. jIt is found that'the singlelthread T, being free to respond'to frictionalengagement of the teeth of .the thread gearsfwill be moved' as already described even though tl'ie weft ends W are held by their bobbins against appreciable movement toward the gears.

It will 'be obvious thata" second transfer can ,occur during Vthe time'that the Vywheel is rotating. Should-this happen the-foperation already described willbe repeated andA the pawl 63 will again impart a driving-'impulse 'etothe flywheel. This second impulse gives the? flywheelA aifresh start and causes it ino-'continue turning for'fithe' periodlI of .its `operationI measured from the time. ofthe second transfer. When the second'threadl isfcut atthe iselvage, therefore, the flywheel will still be turningfast enough .to maintain the motor:- in. operationy and continue its .operation luntil the second threadi's withdrawnfromithe loom. A'While II have shownthe spring 12. asa. shock` absorber, I do not wish necessarilyI tolbeliinitedv to it,v since itisposilole'.to impart the force derived from the transferrer arm .32 directly .to-the.' flywheel 4at theyery beginning ofthe .downlmotion of the-.transferrerarm .The ratchet' teeth. are placed.' very close to thestand v5Fl to minimize anyltwistingf which'. might result from the sudden application of force by the pawl; vThe shaft; 6,0 is shownt aslrotatable'in plainbearings 56 and 51, but' it is obvioustthat Iam not limited tothis type ofbearingf.`4r f v From the foregoing it-willfbe-seenvthat I have provided simple means by` which a force derived. from the transferrer arml 32 is causedfto'seta ywhe'el in rotation and that `this rotation effects closure: of. a centrifugal-switch'whichvin .turn starts operation of a motor which operates thread removing mechanism. 'Iheparts` are sodesigned thatthe iiywheel continues to Iturnfafsulicient' period after cutting of the threadxI*` at the selvage to insure removal of the threadlfrom undesirable engagement with operating parts: ofthe loom'. It will also be seen that thefliy-wheel isl givenan impulse each time the-transferrer .arm descends and itis for this lreason that the motor `will con-` tinue to .run long enough to remove the thread remaining after any transfer, whether or not the flywheel isalready turning due to a Vprevious transfer. Furthermore, the pawl' is'heldout .of engagement with the4 ratchet teeth while. the. ilywh'eel turns subsequent to returnl of the transferrer arm to normal position. The energy stored in the flywheel by .the transferrer arm is dissipated during a period continuing from transfer until after the thread has been cut at the selvage, and when dissipating its energy the flywheel acts as a controller for the motor 45 and effects its energization for the purpose of removing the thread. e

Having thus described my invention'lt-will be seen that changes and modifications may'bemade therein by those v skilled in the art without de'- y parting fromv the spirit and f scope ofthe inventails herein disclosed, but what, I claim is:y y f 1. In a weft replenishinglloom having bobbin transfer mechanism and in which a thread is to be removed from the loom when cut at the selvage several picks yafter operationof the transfer mechanism,fa flywheel mounted-for rotation, means to impart a rotary impulse to the flywheel upon eachoperation of the transfer mechanism 'and cause said flywheel to continue rotatingfor an interval until after the .thread isicutat the sel. vage, thread removingmechanismfor the thread,v and `means controlled by the flywheel antidependent upon-rotation thereof during said interval to. effect-operation of the removing mechanism to remove said thread.

2. In a weftv replenishing loom having bobbin transfer mechanism and in which-a threadis to be removed from the'loom4 whencut at the selvage several picks after operation of. lthe transfer mechanism, a .flywheel .mounted for rotation, means to impart a rotating-'impulseto the flywheel whenever the transfermechanism has an operation, said flywheel continuing torotate sub.;

, interval lasting for a said intervalr to cause fthel actuator Vmeans to actuate` said thread i removing mechanism.'

11-.l In a weftreplenishing loom having bobbin transfer mechanism andi in which athread is to be removed from the loom when cutat the selvage several picks after yoperation, of the transfer mechanism;` a normally' stationary flywheel, ratchet means rigid with the flywheel 'and operative when actuated to cause `rotation ofthefly'- wheel, 'a pawl 'which when in normal position tionto the rst interval and continuing after the latter, thef loom havin'g".` two threads to# ylie vre- Y moved, .oneremai'ning after the first transfer is out of engagement with the ratchet means, 1

means operative upon each operation of the transfer mechanism to give the pawl a working stroke and then return the lp awl to normal position, means operative at the beginning of a work-j ing stroke of the pawl to move the latter into engagement with the ratchet means, whereupon` the pawl acting through the ratchet means sets the flywheel in rotation, said rotation of the fly.'-v wheel continuing after the pawl has returned to normal position and until after the thread is cut at the selvage, thread removing mechanism for vsaid thread, and means controlled by the flywheel and operative due to rotation thereof to effect operation of said thread removing mechanism. l2. In a weft replenishing loom having bobbin transfer mechanism and in which a threadristobe removed from the loom when cut at the selvage i several picks, after operation of the transfer mechanism, a flywheel mounted for rotation. driving means operative incident tol each operation of the transfer mechanism to impart a force to the flywheel causing rotation thereof for an interval continuing until after the thread is cut at the selvage and whether the flywheel be atvrest or rotating due to a force previously imparted thereto by said driving means, removing mechanism for the thread, an actuator for the removing mechanism,l and means controlled by the fiywheel and dependent upon rotation thereof during said interval to cause said actuator to operate the removing mechanism.

13. In a weft replenishing loom provided with bobbin transfer means capable of having two successive bobbin transfer operations the first :of which occurs at the beginning of a thread removing interval lasting for a given number of successive picks of the loom' and thelsecond of which occurs during said interval and at the beginning of a second thread removing interval similar in duration to the first interval and con- .tinuing after the latter, the loom having two threads to be removed, one remaining after the rst transfer operation and the other remaining after the second transfer operation, and each thread being cut at the selvage prior to the end of the corresponding'interval, a thread remover for said threads, actuator mechanism for said remover normally ineffective to cause said remover to remove said threads, and control means operated by the transfermeans whenever the latter operates and continuing to operate for a period equal at least to said interval after each transfer operation and causing the actuator mechanism to operate said thread remover from the beginning of the rst interval until the end of the second interval to remove both of said threads..

, 14. In a weft replenishing loom provided with vbobbin transfer means capable of having two su'ci the first of which cessive transfer operations I a thread removing occurs at the beginning of given number of successive operation and being 'cut' at the selvage during the first interval and the otherrem'aining after the secondtransferoperation and being cut at 'the selvageduring 'the second interval, a thread remover for'said threads, actuator mechanisml for said remover normally ineffective to cause said remover to lremoveFsaid threads, and-control means for said actuator mechanism receiving an impulse from the transfer means when the latter first operates causing operation of said control means for the first interval and receiving a second impulse from the transfer means when the latter operates the second time during said first interval and causing continued operation of the control means for the second interval, said vcontrol means causing the actuator mechanism to operate the thread remover from the beginning of the first interval until the `end of the second interval to remove both of said threads.

15. In a weft replenishing loom having bobbin transfer means capable of having two successive transfer operations and in which two threads to be removed remain after said operations, one thread remaining after each transfer operation, each thread being cut at the selvage a given number of picks of the loom after the corresponding transfer operation, and the second operation of the transfer means 'occurring before cutting of the operative upon the second transfer operation which occurs prior to said. cutting corresponding to the first transfer operation to start a second interval of control and causing the actuating mechanism to continue operation of the thread removing mechanism until after cutting at the selvage of the'thread corresponding to the second transfer operation.

16. In a weft replenishing loom having bobbin transfer mechanism operating on replenishing picks of theloom and in which a thread to be removed from the loom remains after each replenishing pick and is subsequently cut at the selvage, a thread remover, actuator mechanism for said remover normally ineffective to cause said remover to remove the thread, movable control means which whenever given an actuating impulse on any replenishing pick of the loom causes said actuator mechanism to operate the thread remover during an interval ofr a given number of successive picks startingwith the replenishing pick and continuing after cutting of the thread corresponding to the replenlshing pick, said interval being long enough to enable said'remover to remove said thread, and means operated by said transfer mechanism whenever the latter has a transfer operation to give said control means an actuating impulse whether or not said transfer operation occurs during an interval similar to the aforesaid interval but corre sponding to the previous replenishing pick.

17.@In a.i weft replenishing loom having .bobbn tramfermechanismand ,inwhich a thread to be removed from the loom remains after lan operation-of :the transfer mechanism and is cut at `the sewage-several picks of the loom after said operation,` 'movable means having motion imparted theretozand having energy ystored therein due to operation of the transfer mechanism, said means continuing to move-.after operation ofthe transter mechanism and dissipating the energy stored l10 therein Iduring an intervzail lstarting with .the .0peration of said :transfer mechanism and continuing *until .after the thread is kcnt at the salvage, thread removing mechanism tending `When ac'- tuated to .remove Asaid thread, and control means for Isai-d removing mechanism operated by said movable means and operative vduring said .nterval to effect actuation of said thread removing mechanism.

- ALBERT CEDERLUND. 

